


Good

by MadameS



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-30
Updated: 2013-12-05
Packaged: 2017-12-30 23:58:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1024924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadameS/pseuds/MadameS
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>COMPLETE. Post "Good Form". Emma struggles with her feelings for Hook as the group makes a plan to get Neal back and rescue Henry. Regina finds herself in the unfamiliar role of mentor. (Captain Swan)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wine and Water

### Chapter 1: Water and Wine

_Let’s see what kind of man you really are. ___  
  
The words rang in Hook’s head as he stormed away from the rock Pan had found him on. What had he been thinking? Of course, it had been too much to hope for a happy ending. But couldn’t Pan have given him at least five bloody minutes to enjoy that feeling of hope?  
  
He knew it had been too much to even dream that her kiss had meant anything serious, but the passion of it had taken his breath away. Hers, as well, if he wasn’t mistaken, which gave him at least some modicum of satisfaction. But none of that would matter the instant she learned that her one true love was still alive.  
  
He slowed, realizing that the sooner he got back to the camp, the sooner he’d have to make his decision. He was frustrated with himself for needing to put this much thought into it – he had spent years serving nothing but his own self-interest, why was it such a problem now? He probably could come up with the answer, but he’d just as soon rather not know the depth of his vulnerability.  
  
He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t see Regina blocking his path to the camp until he was practically on top of her. She looked pained. “You do not want to go back there quite yet.”  
  
“Oh, hi.” A surprised Emma stepped out of the brush nearby. “What are you guys doing standing here?”  
  
“You, particularly, do not want to go back there. Let’s just say your parents are very happy to see one another.”  
  
“Wonderful,” Emma sighed. “What are we supposed to do in the meantime, gather more firewood?” She shot a quick glance at Hook. “Speaking of, why don’t you have any?”  
  
He shrugged innocently and tried to put on his most charming smile, but he couldn’t quite summon it. It didn’t matter, anyway, she was looking away again before he had the chance to react.  
  
Regina rolled her eyes. “I am not wandering about here aimlessly again looking for wood in a forest.”  
  
“Do you have a better idea?”  
  
“Actually, Emma, I do. You know what I haven’t had in far too long? A proper dinner.”  
  
She waved her hand and, in a puff or purple smoke, a mahogany table with a black lace table cloth and matching chairs appeared. It was set for three with plates, silverware, water, and wine, and in the center was a small feast.  
  
Emma stared. “If you can do that, why have we been eating jungle fruit and trying to trap boars all week?”  
  
Regina shrugged. “It takes more energy than is economical. Clearly we’re not going anywhere tonight, so I’ll have time to recharge. If Mr. and Mrs. Perfect can take a break tonight, why shouldn’t we? Here, sit down.”  
  
“Don’t have to ask me twice.” Hook grinned and sat down, eagerly filling his plate. Having real food was almost enough to make him forget his dilemma for awhile.  
  
Regina joined him and filled her wine glass. “Apple wine?”  
  
Hook laughed. “You’re terrible. And no thanks, wine isn’t my drink of choice.” He raised his flask and touched it to her glass in a toast.  
  
“Emma, wine?” Emma was still standing back a bit, hesitating. “Oh, come on. Poisoned fruit is so cliché at the point. Would it be so bad to join the villains’ table for one night?” Regina turned to Hook. “After all, our beloved savior took a bit of a turn towards the dark side today.”  
  
“Really, Miss Swan? Do tell.”  
  
Emma sat with a sigh of resignation and reached over to pour herself a full glass of wine. “She’s being dramatic. We needed to get a message to Henry and the boy we captured refused to do it voluntarily, so Regina took his heart and we were able to speak to him. We gave it back, after. As I’m sure you can imagine, my mother objected to the whole thing, saying I was crossing a line, so I had to restrain her.”  
  
“Good for you!” At Emma glare, Hook hurriedly added, “I’m not saying that I approve generally of murdering children, but I admire the willingness to see that sometimes you need to look at things from a different perspective. And I’m sure your mother joined right in speaking to Henry when you made a connection. There’s not always only one right path.”  
  
Emma smiled a little at that, then looked down at her food. “I can’t help but feel like, in storybook world, that is how things work. And I’m the… savoir, or whatever, so it’s important that I follow that. One right path, one good choice, one true love. And if you miss out on it, you’re screwed, right?”  
  
Regina surprised her by answering thoughtfully. “Many might, but I wouldn’t say so. I have had experiences here that would indicate that that is not necessarily the case.”  
  
Emma looked at her disbelievingly. “Like?”  
  
“Well…”  
  
Regina hesitated for a moment and her usually penetrating eyes became softer. “Daniel was my life. After he was killed, I was lost. I wasn’t even sure who I was anymore. And then I was forced into marrying a man who would never love me and I had to accept as a daughter the very girl who was responsible for Daniel’s death. What was I supposed to do? I figured that was it, there was no more hope. I had met my one true love and he had died and that was it for me. No more chance of happiness.  
  
“And then Tinkerbelle came to me and told me I was wrong. She said that, yes, Daniel was my true love, but he was dead, and it would be silly to think I was doomed to be a miserable, vengeful wreck the rest of my life.”  
  
Hook cleared his throat. “No offence, love, but you kind of have been.”  
  
“Well, that was my choice. Tinkerbelle did show me another path. Another man, with whom I could find true love. Not my one true love, obviously, but true love nonetheless. Happiness. She showed him to me and said, ‘there he is, the man with the lion tattoo. All you need to do is go get him.’”  
  
She closed her eyes sadly. Emma gave her a moment. “And then?”  
  
“And then she left me alone to make my own decision and, well, you know how that worked out. I didn’t even go in.”  
  
“Why not?”  
  
“I couldn’t stop feeling like I would be betraying Daniel if I opened myself up again.” She sighed. “Looking back, everything could have been so different. I mean, even if he wasn’t my true love, even if I walked in and he was just an attractive man in a bar who kept me warm for a night, who knows what difference that would have made. I should have let him. But I didn’t, and here I am.”  
  
Regina had a faraway look in her eyes and there was silence for a moment. Hook felt Emma’s gaze on him, but she had turned away by the time he looked up at her.  
  
Regina sighed. “So, you know. Not that I tell stories with morals, but if I had one, it would be to not let opportunities for happiness pass you by just because you think that maybe it’s not the… snow white thing to do.”  
“Regina, I had no idea.”  
  
The sympathy in Emma’s voice seemed to snap Regina out of her reverie and her cynical tone returned. “Well, that’s my sob story. Do with it what you will. I’m sure your parents would be thrilled that I’m contradicting them.” Emma tried to meet her eyes, but she snapped, “What are you looking at?” and poured herself another glass of wine.  
  
“Well, I should go.” Emma rose, still determinedly avoiding Hook’s gaze. “I’ll get water, or something. Thanks for the food.” She was gone before either could reply.  
  
Regina waited a beat, then looked over to Hook. “Well, what are you still doing sitting here? I thought I sent you up pretty nicely.”  
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”  
  
“If you’re that dense, you don’t deserve it. What, did you spend too much time with Charming or something? There is a girl who you have been mooning over since we got to this godforsaken island who is feeling lonely and now thinking about romance with a dashing stranger…”  
  
“Seriously, is that why you told us that story?”  
  
Regina looks away. “No. I just…” she forces a smile. “It just happened to work out for you. Take it while you can get it.”  
  
Hook contemplated his flask before taking another swig of rum. “I can’t.”  
  
“What do you mean you can’t? What is wrong with you?”  
  
He finally met her eyes, ashamed of the vulnerability he was sure she saw there. “I don’t know what to do.”  
  
“Are you asking for my advice? You would be the first person to in a long time.”  
  
“Well, I don’t really have a choice, do I? You’re the only person here who doesn’t consider having a crisis of conscience akin to murder.”  
  
“How flattering.”  
  
“Oh, bloody hell, never mind.” He rose to leave.  
  
“Wait. I… have nothing else to do. Talk.”  
  
He paused, then spoke so softly she could barely hear it. “Emma kissed me.”  
  
“I’m sorry, could you speak a little louder? It almost sounded like you said…”  
  
“Emma kissed me. I was saying, as a joke, I should add, that she owed it to me after I saved her father. She said I couldn’t handle it and I said she couldn’t handle it and then she went ahead and did it. Then she told me to go get firewood or something and walked off like nothing had happened.”  
  
Regina snorted and nearly spilled some of her wine. “Oh, poor pirate. You got exactly what you want and now you feel torn up because she didn’t want to stay and cuddle? You are losing your edge, Captain.”  
  
He tried and failed to keep the irritation out of his voice. “No, that’s not the problem. The problem is that immediately after Pan came up to me and told me that Bae… Neal was still alive. So, you understand my predicament.”  
  
“No. Don’t tell her.”  
  
“But doesn’t that defeat…?”  
  
“Why are you overthinking this? You want her, she wants you. You are going to let a little boy who may or may not just be trying to mess with you get in the way of that?”  
  
“No, Pan plays games but he doesn’t lie. If he says Neal’s alive, he’s alive.”  
  
“Okay, and?”  
  
“I should tell her, right? It would be… wrong not to.” He realized how that sounded and injected some false confidence into his voice. “I mean, let’s be practical. It’s not some random one night stand. We need to live and work together. I just don’t want things to be awaked.”  
  
“Awkwardness, that’s all? This has nothing to do with you maybe developing stronger feelings for someone than you thought and wanting to be a better person for them?”  
  
“Don’t be ridiculous.”  
  
“Then you stop being ridiculous. Neal being dead or alive doesn’t matter – either way, he’s not here tonight. You are. Go to her.”

 -------------------- 

Emma floated on her back in the small lake, watching the moonlight reflect on the shimmering surface of the waterfall. She had stripped down to her underwear at the water’s edge and was enjoying the feel of the cool water on her skin. She closed her eyes, trying to let the gentle waves carry away her thoughts. She had been way too affected by that kiss for her own good. It had taken every ounce of willpower she had to walk away and act like it was nothing, but she worried her rapid breath had given her away.  
  
She nearly let herself indulge in remembering the feel of his lips on hers and his hand in her hair, but she pushed the memory away. She was here to rescue her son and she had just lost her one true love. What type of person was she to let herself be distracted by what she was certain was nothing more than lust?  
  
But maybe Regina was right. The thought came to her unbidden. Maybe you need to let yourself have some warmth and happiness so you don’t turn to ice.  
  
“Emma?”  
  
She startled upon hearing her name and jerked up to see Hook standing on the shore, eyebrow raised at the heap of clothing there. “I wouldn’t have pegged you for a night swimmer, Miss Swan.”  
  
“I’m just full of surprises.”  
  
“That you are.”  
  
“What are you doing here? I thought you and Regina had a whole villainous agenda to go over.”  
  
“Evilly plotting gets boring after a while, you know? Figured I’d come make sure you hadn’t drowned or something.”  
  
“I’m good, thanks. The water’s great.”  
  
“Good.”  
  
He went quiet and she resumed swimming until she couldn’t stand him just standing there watching her. “Well? Are you going to come in or not?”  
  
She deliberately looked away as he followed her lead and stripped to his breeches before wading in and only turned back when she was sure he was in up to his neck. She couldn’t trust herself around him.  
  
“This water is much colder than you lead me to believe.”  
  
“This pirate is much more of a baby than I was lead to believe, Hook.”  
  
“You can call me Killian, you know.”  
  
“Sure, Hook.”  
  
They lapsed into a comfortable silence as they floated and looked up at the stars. She tried to keep some distance between them, which she was grateful he respected, but a stronger current that she was expecting pushed her near him. His hand brushed hers. His closeness was overwhelming and she fought the urge to touch him again. She felt herself losing and abruptly stood up.  
  
“You’re right, actually, this is cold. I should dry off and get at least some sleep tonight.” She swam quickly to shore and shivered as she stepped out of the water.  
  
“Wouldn’t towels be great right now?”  
  
She turned. He was closer than she had thought and it made Emma acutely aware of how little clothing they were wearing. She couldn’t help herself from giving his body a once over and was disheartened to find that he kept himself in impeccable shape. Shimmering droplets of water clung to the dark hair that covered his chest and trailed down over his tight abs, the V of his hips, and lower… He would be much easier to ignore if he wasn’t so damn sexy.  
  
“Like what you see, love?”  
  
She felt herself going red and covered with a wry smile and an eye roll. “You know, you are so much more attractive when you stop talking.”  
  
“Thank you?” He grinned. “It is freezing, by the way.”  
  
“Is this the part where you say something about how we can keep each other warm?” She kept her tone purposefully light and he responded in kind.  
  
“You’ve already gone ahead and said it for me. I am at your service, milady.”  
  
“Sure. Whatever, Hook.” She shook her head dismissively but made the mistake of looking up into his eyes and felt herself getting caught in the deep blue of them. “I… I should go.”  
  
She went to move past him to collect her clothes but he grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. “Emma, I need to tell you…”  
  
Whatever he was going to say got lost as she found herself pulling his mouth down to hers. His hand went to her hair and she grabbed it and moved it down to her waist. The feel of his fingers on her skin was enough to make her sway, but his hook was at her back and holding her firmly against him. As the kiss deepened, warmth spread through her and she guided him down with her into the sand.  
  
“Emma…”  
  
“Shut up.” Her desire was overwhelming enough to drown out the fear and guilt she had been carrying with her since they arrived on this island and she was reveling in it.  
  
“But, Emma…”  
  
“I want this. I want you.”  
  
Her word seemed to ignite something in him and he kissed her harder before moving his mouth to her ear and nipping at the lobe. It sent shivers down her spine and she sighed with pleasure. “Killian.”  
  
She felt him breathe in sharply and stop at the sound of his name. “Bloody hell.” With a groan, he rolled off her and collapsed back on the sand. “I can’t.”  
  
“What do you mean, you can’t?” Her mind was foggy; she must have misheard him.  
  
“Emma, I need to tell you something.”  
  
“Do you need to tell me right now?”  
  
“Unfortunately, I believe I do. Pan came to speak to me after you walked away earlier and… Neal… He’s alive. He’s here, in Neverland, looking for you and Henry.”  
  
She lay still a moment in shock, then shot up, anger clearing her mind. She could barely keep her voice steady. “Is this some sort of sick joke?”  
  
“Of course not!”  
  
Her face went cold and hard. “Why did you wait to tell me this until now?”  
  
“Look, Emma, I’m sorry. I… I just needed some time to… you know… sort things out,” he finished weakly.  
  
She looked at him in disgust and hurriedly starting pulling on her clothes. “God, how could I have been so stupid? Wow. That dinner, Regina’s story… Does she know?”  
  
He looked away.  
  
“Does. She. Know?”  
  
“Well, yes, but…”  
  
“Great. That’s great. You two are a match made in some terrible, twisted version of heaven.”  
  
“Emma, please,” he reached out for her and she pulled back as if struck.  
  
“Just stop. From now on, I don’t want you anywhere near me.”  
  
Emma turned and strode away, keeping her pace deliberate so she didn’t break into a run. Tears welled in her eyes and it made her even angrier that she didn’t know whether they were coming more from outrage or disappointment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up Next: Hook gets unexpected support from Regina while Emma comes up with a plan to rescue Neal that will force her to be much closer to Hook than is comfortable.


	2. A Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sure that whatever happens on Sunday will make this story completely AU, but this story has taken a hold in my head and I’m planning to forge ahead with this plot line regardless. Hope you enjoy!

He sat on the lakeshore, watching the water fall down the side of the rocks. He had barely moved all night – he knew sleep would have been impossible. He was furious at her, or, at least, trying to be. Anger was an emotion he was much more comfortable with than hurt.

The sun was just starting to rise when Regina appeared out of the trees. "Ah, here you are. I take it things didn't work out so well for you, Hook?"

"Oh, it went bloody wonderful."

She shrugged. "I told you not to say anything. Come on, I was sent to bring you back to the camp so we can get moving on what is now our double-rescue mission."

Hook fumed as they walked. "This right here is bullshit. I end up doing the right thing and now they all hate me for it."

Regina smiled sympathetically. "If it's any consolation, Emma didn't tell them you knew. "

"It's not." He hoped Regina didn't notice the strange comfort he took in that knowledge. "Wasn't expecting forgiveness to be in the cards for me."

They walked in silence for a moment before Regina spoke with a sudden vehemence. "It is bullshit, you know."

"What is?"

"With people like us, self-preservation is as natural as breathing. I know that Snow White is always going to make the good, selfless decision instinctively regardless of the circumstances. Good for her. But when I make a decision, I'm not blind to how each choice would affect me, as well as others, and I need to think it through and find a balance. I know you're the same way."

"Aye."

"If anything, we deserve _more_ credit for deciding to do the 'right' thing. But, that's not how they look at it. If you take even five minutes before you decide to do something selfless, you might as well have never made the decision. You're a villain because of those five minutes, regardless. I mean, why even bother?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out, love."

"There you are!" Snow rose as they entered the clearing where the campsite had been before she covered their tracks. "What took you so long?" Neither answered. "Nothing you want to share?"

Hook laughed. "Can't think of anything, other than that you and your charming husband provided us all with quite the entertainment last night. Want to give it another go, perhaps with me closer by?"

Emma glared at him. "Stop being disgusting. Let's go."

He made a concerted effort to avoid meeting Emma's eyes; he didn't want to see the disappointment there. But he couldn't afford to show any vulnerability if he was going to make it through the rest of this journey.

Charming shook his head. "Here I was toasting you for your heroism last night and you're back to being a lecherous, lying…"

Regina laughed. "Oh, get off your high horse, Charming. Like you have any right to call anyone here a liar."

He froze.  
Regina moved closer. "Oh, he didn't tell me. It was rather obvious, but I figured, if you have some idiotic death wish, who am I to interfere?"  
"David, what is she talking about?" Snow touched his arm. He remained silent.

"Oh, you don't want to share how you got yourself poisoned and knew you were dying, but decided not to tell any member of your family? Or how Hook actually needed to trick you into going to get a cure for yourself?"

Snow looked horrified. "David? She's lying, right?"

"Well, I… I didn't want to slow you down, so…"

"I'm guessing," Regina interrupted. "That you are going to be even less happy after he tells you how the cure works."

Emma stepped forward. "What is she talking about?"

"The cure only works for as long as I remain on this island."

The ensuing silence was broken only by Snow beginning to sob softly. David moved to comfort her, but she pushed him away. "I can't believe you. Didn't you think that your wife and daughter deserved the chance to say goodbye. How could you?" She backed further away. "You know what, don't answer." She turned away, trying to regain control of herself.

Charming shot deathly cold look at Regina, then Hook.

"Hey, I had nothing to do with this, mate."

Emma glared at both of them. "Great. Great job, guys. We are now in a wonderful position to be rescuing Henry – and Neal, too. Anything else you two wanted to bring up? Any other buried secrets? Cause this seems like the perfect time."

"No, I think we're good, love, thanks. Unless you had anything you wanted to share…"

"Shut up. And let's go, all of you. Snow, Charming, you can have this argument along the way. Right now, we need to move."

"Move where, dearie?" She whirled around to see Gold, now standing directly behind her. With a deep breath and impatient tone, she asked what he was doing back.  
"I have decided that we do need to work together, after all. See, I have some new information that changes everything. Baelfire… " He paused dramatically and finished with a dramatic gesture. "Is alive!"

Emma looked unimpressed. "We know."

Regina glanced at Hook and murmured, "See? If you just would have waited three hours…"

"We know. No thanks to Hook."

He returned her glare with a smirk. "Actually, love, it's entirely thanks to me, isn't it?"

Gold stared. "So, what exactly are you planning to do with that information? Not that you walking in aimless circles through the woods is less than entertaining, but I would like to find my son and grandson in a somewhat timely matter."

"And we're going to. " Emma raised her voice to ensure they were all listening. "We are all going to work together and do just that."

Emma hoped she sounded more confident than she felt as she made her declaration. She was still trying to get over the shock of the difference between the man she had been with last night and the drunken pirate with the cold eyes who had greeted her this morning. Had it all been pretend? Just an attempt to get her where he wanted her? But, then, why would he have told her about Neal? Then again, why had he waited?

There was no time to sort it out now. Her parents were no longer speaking, Regina was snippy, Hook was back to being obnoxious, and Gold had showed up out of the blue with questionable motive. It was clear that this wayward party needed someone to lead it as a cohesive unit and it seemed no one else was stepping up to the plate right now.

Gold was looking at her incredulously, just stopping short of rolling his eyes. "And what exactly is your brilliant plan, dearie? Because seeing the state of this group, I' thinking maybe I should go back to getting things done on my own."

Regina laughed harshly. "All you did was get an additional person kidnapped. A person, by the way, who just so happens to be our only way of getting off this island."

"It wasn't my fault! He left my protection on his own when he found out about the prophecy that Henry would be my undoing. So Bae thought I was going to murder my own grandson! But, why would I? I was there to rescue him – I had nothing left to live for."

Hook raised his hook. "Why are we assuming 'undoing' necessarily means death?"

"Shut up, Hook." Regina eyed Gold suspiciously. "Wait. So if Baelfire is alive and can get you back to Belle, doesn't that mean you do have something to live for again? And that you're going to murder our son."

"No! No. I mean… no."

"You're a monster."

"Oh, I'm the monster?" He raised a hand threateningly and Regina was preparing to retaliate when Emma inserted herself between them.

"Guys, stop! This is exactly what Pan wants – all of us squabbling and distrusting each other and being generally useless. We need a plan. And I think I may have something. Regina and Gold, can you create a cone of silence around us so that anyone who might be listening couldn't hear?"  
Regina exchanged a glance with Gold. "Yes, but they'd hear the silence. Pan might know something was up."

"I'll be quick."

They all gathered in a tight circle as the spell was cast. When Emma spoke, her voice bounced off the invisible barrier, creating a disquieting echo. "Okay, everyone. We need Neal if we want to get off this island."

Hook snorted. "Yeah, I think we knew that before the cone of silence. What are you going to do, go ask Pan nicely and he'll just bring Neal to us?"

"I'm not going to ask nicely. But I do think we may be able to get Pan to bring him to us. The kid's all about mind games, right? Pitting people against each other, making sure we're never a united front? Because he knows that, if we were, we'd have a solid shot at defeating him. Pan needs us fractured. So, I'm thinking that if he knew that having Neal back would accomplish that, he might just bring him here. Right, Hook? You have the most experience with him."

"It wouldn't be entirely inconsistent with his methods."

There was silence a moment as the group exchanged glances. Snow started hesitantly, "Well, maybe that could work, honey, but how would we go about convincing him of that?"

"Well, you two, it seems you're still working through the lying issue."

Snow raised an eyebrow. "You think?"

"Right. So, you act like you're getting over your fight, but Neal is a sticking point because he believed in lying for his family's own good. But, at the end of the day, you patch things up saying, Neal is dead. No need to make a judgment on him, let's just move forward. And then you do."

Snow and Charming looked at each other uncomfortably. "I'd be willing to pretend to make up with you," he ventured.

"Great!" Emma interrupted before Snow could answer. "Now, Gold. You make sure that you keep saying that, without Bae, you have nothing to live for so you'll help save Henry, and…"

Regina cuts her off. And I say, great, but what if he's alive? Gold says he'd rescue Baelfire before anyone else. I respond that I don't think he'd approve of that."

Gold glared. "Well, that's not his call."

"You should let it be, because I swear to God I will kill him before you put his life ahead of Henry's."

"Exactly!" Emma interjects with false enthusiasm. "You pretend to have just that argument and then I'll be like, hey guys, we don't need to figure this out now. He's probably dead, anyway, so let's just move on. And then you do."

No one responded.

"Come on, guys. Pan will see that if he gives us Neal, you two and you two will go off at each other, Neal will be angry and in the middle, someone may end up killing someone else… Its exactly what he wants."

"Fair enough." She was surprised that it was Gold who answered first. "But, what about you, dearie? Seems like you're leaving out the most important piece of this particular puzzle."

"Well…" She felt herself blushing and hoped it wasn't apparent to the others. She knew exactly what she had to do and she wanted to continue putting off the uncomfortable mix of emotions the idea produced in her. "For me… Since Neal and I still had been hoping to work things out, and… and Pan wants to make Hook here as miserable as possible… You know…"

"Oh, you can just go ahead and say it." Hook rose and spread his arms theatrically. "We are going to pretend to be falling each other, happy in our newly budding romance, and when Pan sees that he'll realize that if he brings back Neal, he'll be angry and she'll feel guilty. And I get to be miserable and alone. Again. Lovely."

"Well, it's…"

"It's exactly what he wants. Quite a brilliant plan, actually."

It took her a moment to realize that he was serious. "Thanks."

Snow stepped forward, looking concerned. "My biggest concern with this plan is that it needs to be completely believable or he'll know we're up to something. And, David and I are really fighting but want to make up, and Regina and Gold really do hate each other but are forced to work together. But, you… Do you think you can pull it off, honey? Acting like you're falling for…" She lowers her voice. "Him?"

"I am standing right here, you know."

Emma ignored him. "I had to act like I was in love with plenty of thieves, murderers, and worse to be successful at my old job. So, yeah. I should be fine."

Charming looked at Hook askance. "And him?"

"Hook can just be himself, I guess, but maybe a little nicer?"

"Oh, I'm plenty nice. I've offered multiple times to provide you with entertainment for the evening."

"How could a girl not be charmed? Anyway, that's the plan. Are we in agreement to at least give it a try?"

"I am," Regina replied confidently."  
"As am I," said Gold.

Snow smiled at her. "We're always with you, dear."

They all looked at Hook, who shrugged. "Why not? Where are we off to?"

"Let's head towards where Pan's camp is marked on my map. I know he keeps moving it, but it's less important that we get there than that we look like we're making some progress."

The barrier came down and the group broke up to prepare for another day's hike. Emma felt Hook watching her as she studied the map. She met his eyes and, for a moment, could have sworn that she saw genuine feeling there. But she blinked and it was gone, and he was rechecking his supply of rum. She thought about what could lay ahead felt a ball of anxiety beginning to form in the pit of her stomach.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up Next: Emma works on pretending she is just pretending when the plan is put into play. The group gets Peter Pan's attention in an unexpected way.


	3. Pretending to Pretend

**Chapter 3: Pretending to Pretend**

Hook had only seen a few theatrical performances in his life, but he was fairly confident that Snow and Charming’s acting skills were poor. The fact that the cliffs surrounding their campsite amplified their emotionless voices did not help.  
  
“Oh, David,” Snow was saying. “I was angry, at you and Neal, but I guess since he’s gone, we don’t need to have this conversation. I forgive you.”  
  
“Wonderful,” he replied, somehow managing to sounded even more wooden. “I am so glad that we can continue on this journey in peace as a united front.”  
  
Hook saw Emma trying not to wince at the stilted delivery and moved next to her to murmur, “Let’s hope the Lost Boys are as young mentally as physically because I’m not sure anyone over ten would buy what your mother is selling.”  
  
“They’re trying,” she argued half-heatedly. “At least Regina and Gold managed to sound convincing this morning.”  
  
“Right, but all they need to do is not speak to each other to seem peaceful. Your parents need to be a happy couple. Speaking of which…”  
  
“I’m sure it’ll get better. And I’m not ready yet to start with…”  
  
She was interrupted by a near hysterical outburst from Snow, “It’s not like I was hoping to have another child or anything. I mean, we’ve lived good lives, haven’t we?”  
  
Emma winced. “And I think that’s my cue to interfere. Hey, Mom!”  
  
Hook watched her attempt to smooth things over and reminded himself for what must have been the fourth time that day to make sure he was keeping his emotions well-masked. He was all too aware that he wouldn’t have a problem “acting” as if he were falling for Emma, but he wasn’t sure if he could pull off showing those feelings just enough to convince Pan, but not so much that Emma thought he was being serious. If this plan worked, she would have Neal back soon and he had no desire to make things any more awkward and painful than they already were.  
  
“Well, what are you waiting for this time?” Regina had worn a perpetually annoyed look on her face since the planning conversation the day before. She had done her part with Gold but felt no need to go any further than necessarily, frostily telling Emma that it would be suspicious for them to be too friendly when she tried to prod them along. “Your girl has been a nonstop cheerleader for everyone else and has barely spoken to you. I’d call her a hypocrite if it wouldn’t be hypocritical of me…”  
  
“I’m waiting for her to make the first move here. In case you’ve forgotten, things didn’t go so well the last time I did.”  
  
“Coward.”  
  
“What, you want me to just force myself on her?”  
  
“She practically asked for it by coming up with this plan of hers. Oh, don’t give me that horrified look. You’re a pirate, aren’t you all about the murder, raping, and pillaging?”  
  
Hook scoffed, trying to cover his anger. “Listen, love. Pillaging, yes. Murder, once or twice, when necessary. But do I look like I’d need to rape anybody?”  
  
Regina rolled her eyes. “Sure, keep playing it off like you don’t care. I am far too old to be getting involved in this stupid high school drama. The only reason I’m even having this conversation is because the longer it takes you idiots to put this plan into action, the longer we are doing absolutely nothing to rescue my son!”  
  
“Excuse me?” Emma walked over, angered. “Please tell me I did not just hear you say that rescuing Henry is not my first priority.”  
  
“I don’t know; would I be wrong if I was? Everyone else is playing their parts.”  
  
Not taking her eyes off Regina, Emma gritted, “I’m going to get some water. Hook, why don’t you join me?” and then stormed off out of the clearing.  
  
Hook tentatively begins to follow her. He knows he should be making some terrible innuendo, but he can’t quite get himself there. Too soon, he finds her stopped next to a tiny creek and staring at him. “So…” he manages.  
  
“So?”  
  
Clearly she was waiting for him to initiate things. In case he wasn’t feeling self-conscious enough, he heard scuffling in the trees nearby. _Great, I am so happy to be having this conversation in front of Peter Pan’s least coordinated follower._  
  
Trying to push the interloper out of his mind, he steeled himself and stepped forward until he was barely a foot away from her. When he spoke, it was genuine. “Emma, I’m sorry. For waiting to tell you about Neal. I would never, ever want to hurt you.”  
  
She studied his face for a moment before responding. “I understand. To be honest, I probably would have done the same if I were you. What matters is that you did the right thing in the end.”  
  
He wanted so badly to believe that her words and smile were for more than just Peter Pan’s benefit, but it was an indulgence he wouldn’t allow himself.  
  
“Like Gold said,” she continued, “Neal is probably dead by now anyway and Pan was just lying to drive a wedge between us. To stop… whatever this is.” She closed the distance between them and looked up into his eyes. He gently stroked her cheek and leaned in closer to her. She froze. “Hook, I don’t think I can…”  
  
He moved his mouth to her ear and whispered, “Don’t worry, love. I know this isn’t real. Don’t you feel him here watching?”  
  
He waited until she nodded her assent, then slowly began planting soft kisses from her ear, along her jaw, down her neck. She let out a shaky breath and closed her eyes. When his mouth finally found hers, all thoughts of rescue plans and Lost Boys went out of his head. This kiss was slower than the night before, more intimate. He hadn’t kissed anyone like this since Milah and it made him feel like he was baring his soul to her, but he was strangely okay with that.  
  
She broke this kiss first and took a step back. She was looking away but he could see even in the dim light that her face was flushed. It was driving him crazy to not know what she was thinking.  
  
“We should get back to the camp and get some sleep while it’s still Gold’s shift.”  
  
“Aye,” he said softly.  
  
As they began to walk, he was surprised to feel her entwine her hand with his. He turned to her and she gave him a soft smile. “We’re supposed to be starting something here, right?”  
  
Back at the camp, he set up his bedroll and then turned over to watch her do the same. She mindlessly rand her hands through her hair and he was overcome with the desire to hold her. _Well, we are supposed to be together, aren’t we? Might as well play the part._  
  
“Miss Swan, who knows what is lurking out there in the jungle? You want to come over here for the night? I’ll keep you safe.”  
  
“Really?” She looked meaningfully towards the small cadre of weapons at the foot of her bedroll.  
  
“Oh, come on love, I’d never doubt for a second that you can handle anything that came your way. Maybe you can come keep me safe?”  
  
She glanced over towards where he parents were sleeping soundly on the other side of the camp. “Fine. But just for a little bit.”  
  
She gingerly crawled in next to him and lay down. She felt tense.  
  
“You can relax, you know,” he whispered. “I’m not going to do anything.”  
  
“I wouldn’t put anything past you,” she retorted, but she did slowly allow herself to relax. Soon, their breathing slowed and fell into sync. She rolled to her side and rested her head on his chest, mumbling something about it being more comfortable than the floor.  
  
Emma drifted off quickly after that and Hook was left feeling thrown. He relished the feel of her body against his and allowed himself a moment to pretend that this was real, that she felt the same, and that they would lie like this every night, keeping each other warm and safe. Unlikely, he knew. But there was something in the way she gripped his shirt that made him wonder if, just maybe, he had not been imagining it all. 

\--------------------------------

Emma was unsettled by how easy it was to fall into the rhythm of a relationship with him over the next few days. And when he kissed her, she found herself wishing it were harder to act like it had an affect on her.  
  
The group was getting tired of constantly walking to find a spot on the map that would inevitably move, but she found that time seemed to go by more quickly when he walked next to her, flirting and joking and constantly trying to get her to open up.  
  
“Come on, Swan. What’s your most embarrassing story?”  
  
“I told you, I can’t think of anything.”  
  
“And I told you that I think you’re full of it. It’s only fair – I told you my most embarrassing moment.”  
  
“Did you, though? Yes, you and some floozy running naked through a port because you pissed off a leopard while trying to find somewhere to sneak off to should be embarrassing, but that doesn’t change the fact that you sound suspiciously proud of yourself when you tell the story.”  
  
“What can I say?” He leaned in close to her ear. “I dare say I provided some of the ladies of the port with the biggest thrill they’d had all year.”  
  
“Oh, my God.” She laughed despite herself and shoved him away. He pulled her back to him and put his arm around her as she feigned protest, then let her head rest on his shoulder.  
  
She was vaguely aware of her father’s murmur of disapproval and her mother’s assurance that it was all for Neal. She felt the guilt and fear beginning to bubble up inside her, but she fought it down and allowed herself to be distracted by the pleasant timbre of his voice.  
  
“Well, love?”  
  
“Sorry, what?”  
  
“Pretending to listen to me while actively thinking about something else? Bad form, as they’d say in the naval academy. Anyway…”  
  
“Wait, hold on a second. Did you say naval academy?”  
  
“Well, I wasn’t always a pirate.”  
  
“But a Navy officer? Like, an old-fashioned one with the tri-corner hats?” He shrugged and she laughed. “How…?”  
  
“That’s a story for another time. You are trying to distract me from trying to get a story out of you.”  
  
“Fine. I’m just saying I wish I had a picture of you as proper young sailor. I can’t even really imagine it, but it sounds hysterical.”  
  
“Ah, well. Lost to time, I suppose.”  
  
“Wait, didn’t Milah draw portraits? I can’t imagine she wouldn’t have done any of you.” She instantly regretted saying Milah’s name and braced herself for the pained look that usually accompanied such mentions to come into his eyes, but it never did.  
  
Instead, he smiled. “My military days were long before I met Milah. And, aye, she did draw quite a few portraits of me, but they’re not the kind meant to be for public consumption, if you catch my meaning.” He winked.  
  
“Seriously, why do we keep coming back to you with no clothes on?”  
  
“I don’t know, love. I leave that question to you.”  
  
He raised a suggestive eyebrow and she struggled not let her mind drift back to his skin in the moonlight that night on the beach.  
  
“Now, come on, you have to share something,” he needled. “You were a bounty hunter, right?”  
  
“Bail bondsperson. What, you want to hear about some of the bad guys I took down?”  
  
“Actually, I’m curious if you ever caught one and let him go. That’s more revealing, isn’t it? The one that got away, as they say…”  
  
“I never let anyone go.”  
  
He gave her a look and she felt like he saw right through her. _I guess it takes a liar to know a liar…_  
  
“Fine, I did once. Just once.”  
  
“Well?”  
  
“Okay. There’s this stereotype - that comes more from romantic comedies and chick lit than real life, by the way - that if a woman is a law enforcement agent of any kind, she will inevitably fall for one of her perps. One will be so handsome and charming in a roguish way that she simply can’t resist. That never happened with me. Not my type.”  
  
“You keep telling yourself that, love.”  
  
“I did like it, however, when I saw a picture of my target and it was a really attractive guy. Guys who are hot and know it are easy targets because it never occurs to them to ask why a woman from out of the blue is trying to get close to them. I’m sure you’re familiar with that faulty reasoning.” She raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about. But I will take it as a compliment.”  
  
“Right, it’s exactly that attitude that makes my job infinitely easier. So I was feeling pretty confident when I walked into a bar by the beach in Miami and saw the guy, surrounded by women, wearing a leather jacket over a shirt opened a button too low and sporting one of those hairstyles that takes hours to make it look like you put no effort into it. You know what I mean.”  
  
“Couldn’t imagine. I wake up like this.”  
  
“Sure. So, the trick then was to catch his eye and get him alone. I worked my magic and he offered to take me back to his place, which turned out to be this little art deco house on the beach. It was surprisingly nice and it made me realize that he wasn’t just your typical runner – he had created a whole new life and identity for himself. And I was going to nab him, which was great because he was wanted for tax fraud and owed the government a ton of money, so I had a big payday coming up.  
  
“We went inside and he took me up some stairs that I assumed led to his bedroom, but instead we went up on the roof. He walked me over to the edge and I was preparing myself to fight if he tried to push me off, but instead he stopped and smiled and said, ‘Look at that. How gorgeous is that view?’  
  
“I glanced at it, said ‘nice,’ and went to go back inside, but he was still staring, so I turned around and really looked. And gorgeous didn’t even do it justice. It was a perfectly clear night so you could see the stars and the moon was so bright it was reflected in the water. The tide was coming in and the ocean broke over the rocks below us and splashed up so you could feel the mist even on the roof. I breathed it in and got this feeling like the world was so much bigger than me and there were endless possibilities. Does that sound stupid?”  
  
“Not at all. You’re talking to a man who devoted his life to the sea chasing that very feeling.”  
  
“It made me realize that I had spent so much of my life running that I had never really stopped to take things in or think about where I actually wanted to end up. So, I was having all these thoughts, but I still needed to arrest him, obviously, so I was getting ready to do that when I heard the door to the roof open and a child’s voice saying, ‘Dad?’ And I turned around and saw the most beautiful little girl. Five at the most. She smiled at me as he went to her and picked her up and said she should be in bed, but she said she wanted to see the stars. He asked if I minded and I shook my head, so he sat down on the rooftop with her in his lap and started pointing out the constellations. It seemed like it was a tradition of theirs. And she was so happy and he was so happy and I found myself thinking that tax fraud wasn’t so bad after all, and wouldn’t it be more of a crime to send this sweet little girl through the system?  
  
“There’s a… hardness that comes to your eyes when you have no one but yourself to look out for you. And her eyes were so bright and big and innocent that suddenly, more than anything else in the world, I wanted to make sure she they would never be like mine. So when he got up and said he’d be right back after he put her to bed, I took one more look towards the horizon and I left. I never saw them again. And I never went back to Miami.  
  
“I’d like to say that was a life-changing moment, that I always stopped and smelled the roses or whatever from then on, but that’d be a lie. I put it out of my mind and carried on the way I always had. Until I met Henry.”  
  
He was quiet for a moment, then asked, “Do you ever regret letting him get away?”  
  
“Sometimes I started to, but then I’d think about her. How she had been able to have a normal life. She’s be in high school by now, and she’ll get to hang out with friends and go to prom and have her first kiss and maybe even have her heart broken for the first time. But it’s okay because, at the end of every day, she knows she is loved.”  
  
She looked over at Hook and their eyes met. She had never told that story before. She suddenly felt very vulnerable and tried to cover it with sarcasm. “Wow, project much, Emma? Sorry for all that.”  
  
“Never apologize for what you feel, Emma.” He was thoughtful for a moment. “Maybe we could go someday.”  
  
“Where?”  
  
“To Miami. See that beach and those stars over the ocean.”  
  
She smiled despite herself. “You’re kidding, right? You don’t know where or even what it is, do you?”  
  
He was serious. “In all the time I’ve known you, I have never heard you speak so much or so openly. If the place has that much beauty and meaning to you, I’d move the earth for you to get there.”  
  
Such a burst of feeling welled up in Emma that she stopped in the middle of the road, grabbed Hook, and kissed him. She knew her parents were watching in dismay, but Emma couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so full of joy. She laughed at the shocked expression on Hook’s face and kissed him again and tried to quiet the small part of her brain that wondered if it might not be so bad if Neal was truly gone after all.

\------------

Across the island, the image of Emma and Hook kissing danced in a small fire. Neal looked away, pained, as Pan smirked. “Taking your mother was one thing, but your girlfriend, too? That’s rich.”  
  
Neal glared at Pan as he laughed.  
  
“Trust me, you’d find this hysterical if it wasn’t happening to you.”  
  
“Well, that’s great. But I am. Why are you showing me this? Just to torture me?”  
  
“Oh, no. Quite the opposite. We were once friends, Baelfire. I miss those days. Perhaps we could be friends again, if you would simply stop interfering in my plans.”  
  
Neal opened his mouth to retort but Pan cut him off.  
  
“Now, now. Don’t be too hasty to make a decision. Things could work out quite well for you here. As a show of good faith, I will even let you go and get your house in order.”  
  
“Why would you do that?”  
  
“How many opportunities does one get to help an old friend while hurting an old enemy at the same time? Come on, Bae. You know me. You will never get Henry back alive; that’s a given. Wouldn’t you rather get off this island with your true love than watch everyone you’ve ever cared about die here? It seems to be a fairly straightforward choice to me. But, go ahead. Take some time and think about it.”  
  
He began to walk away, leaving Neal staring at the fire. As Neal watched Emma nestle into Hook’s arm contentedly, his eyes grew hard and determined. “Pan, wait. Take me to them.”  
  
Pan turned back to him and grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: Neal returns.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Not Too Far Off...**

Regina and Gold had set off first thing that morning to harvest more squid ink in preparation for the rescue plan. Emma could tell they were growing restless and she knew it was with good reason. She hadn’t told anyone except Hook, but she had decided that she was going to give her plan one more day. If Neal still wasn’t returned, she would accept that the plan was a failure and come up with a new approach. 

For the moment, she was trying to push thoughts of Henry out of her mind and enjoy what might very well be their last day of peace in a while, if not ever. She sat in a patch of grass watching her father and Hook spar. They were officially sharpening their skills in preparation for the upcoming battle, but it was clear that the men had developed a mostly-friendly rivalry and were genuinely trying to best each other. 

Hook was laughing. “Really? Is that the best you’ve got?”

“I’m still healing!”

“Perhaps that’s why you have the tendency to carry your weight slightly left of center, which I believe is what’s throwing off your aim.”

“I don’t want or need your advice on sword-fighting, pirate!” Charming yelled, but he shifted noticeably to the right and managed to knock Hook to the ground. “That did work, though, didn’t it?”

“Aye, good form.” Hook quickly grabbed his ankle and caught him off balance, knocking Charming to the ground while using his hook to flip his other sword into his hand so he could point them both at Charming’s chin. “But this is better.”

Charming signed and raised his hand. “Fine, fine, I yield.” He got to his feet, rubbing his shoulder. “What, did you get trained by some pirate king, or something?”

Hook opened his mouth to give a smart reply but Emma interrupted. “Actually, he was in the Navy before he became a pirate.”

“Really? No.”

Hook shrugged and handed him back his sword.

“I cannot believe that.”

“I’m pretty sure it is true.” Emma smirked. “Just don’t ask him for pictures to prove it.”

Hook raised an eyebrow at her and they both laughed.

“Do I want to get that joke?”

“Nope.”

“Fair enough.” Charming smiled good-naturedly and glanced back to where Snow was sitting by the remains of the fire, looking 

unhappy. His smile faded. “I should probably go talk to her.”

He headed off and Hook went to retrieve his jacket, but Emma stopped him. “Come on. My turn.”

“Your turn?”

“What, scared?”

“Of course not. I just wouldn’t want to hurt you, love.”

“In case you’ve forgotten, I’ve beaten you before. _Love_.”

He tried to suppress a smile. “Yes, but that was with a punch, not a sword, so it doesn’t count.”

“It absolutely does!”

“As you wish, my lady.”

He drew his sword and she drew Neal’s, which she had come to think of as her own. She went after him with everything she had, determined to wipe the smug look of his face.

“Emma, dear, you are aware that you are swinging the sword like an axe?”

“Doesn’t matter whether or not I use your fancy moves as long as I hold my own, right?”

“Fair, but you’ll tire yourself out faster than if you were just using your wrist.”

She made a face at him but did feel herself getting tired. The one time she got close to getting his arm, he caught her sword with his hook and pushed her away.

“You’re all on me about form, but the hook is really an unfair advantage, you know.”

“I can best you without it.” He put the hook behind his back and worked his way closer to her. Emma realized that she wouldn’t be able to outdo him in swordplay, but she was better at being unexpected. She blocked him and took a few steps back.

“Getting tired, love?”

She let her wrist start to go limp as if she was exhausted and watched for the moment that he began to let down his guard, when she raised her sword and ran at him. He brought his up at the last second and both swords went flying as they crashed into each other, leaving Emma shoving against his chest.

“So what, do we just wrestle now?” Hook grinned down at her. “Because that could work for me.”

“Shut up. What we do now is take a break.”

She leaned back against a tree, letting her breath return to normal. Hook retrieved the swords and sheathed his, then came over and slid her into place as well. He put his hand by her ear and leaned into her. “No innuendo whatsoever there, love.”

Emma laughed and was about to retort when the smile left Hook’s face and he abruptly stepped back. She heard her mother gasp with delight and it seemed that her heart dropped to her stomach. Feeling suddenly short of breath, she turned to see Neal standing at the entrance to the clearing. She took a step towards him and then her feet refused to move. “Hi,” she managed.

At this, Neal broke into a grin and rushed towards her, lifting her and spinning her around. “Emma! We found each other.”

"Yeah,” she smiled thinly. “We did.”

“I swear I will never lose you again.” He put her down and his smile turned to a look of concern. “Are you ok, honey?”

“Yes, I… You know what? This is a lot to process. I just… I need a minute.” She walked hurriedly past him and into the woods, then allowed herself to sink to the ground and cry. She wasn’t even sure what she was crying for.

She heard her mother tell Neal that she had had a rough week and said she would go speak to her.

Emma was surprised to hear Charming respond, “I’ll come with you.”

“That’s not necessary, David.”

“I think she needs both her parents right now.”

Emma heard them coming toward her and she struggled to her feet, trying to dry her eyes, but she knew when they found her that it was painfully obvious she had been crying. “I’m fine,” she protested weakly.

Snow immediately came to hug her. “It’s okay to not, sweetie. This is a lot to process. To have thought you lost your one true love and then suddenly have him back must be so overwhelming. But it’s ok. He’s here now and we’re going to do everything in our power to keep you both safe.”

Emma felt the tears welling up again and pulled back, looking away.

Snow gently turned Emma’s face back to look at her and smiled. “There’s a lot of hard work ahead, but don’t ever lose hope again that we will rescue Henry and get you, him, and Neal back to Storybrooke so you can finally be a whole family.”

“If you want to.”

Both women turned to Charming in surprise.

“Look,” he said. “There are a lot of reasons this is complicated and there is no need for you to make any choices right now. All we need to focus on is saving Henry and getting you guys home. Everything else can come later.”

Emma stared at him for a moment, completely thrown off guard.

“Emma, listen.”

She looked back to see her mother looking annoyed, then smiling again for her benefit.

“Of course. But you and Neal can help each other be strong to face what’s ahead. Henry has been through so much. When we find him, he is going to need the support of his family. Whatever happened with Neal in the past is in the past. You deserve love and happiness right now. We’ll stay here. You go get your happy ending.”

Emma swallowed before returning her smile and allowing Snow to give her another hug. She went to leave, then turned back and gave 

Charming a hug as well. “Thanks, Dad,” she whispered, then went on her way.

As the sound of her parents arguing faded out, she began to hear strains of a different conversation that she couldn’t quite make out, but it sounded like Neal and Hook. _Great_. She sped up, but by the time she reached them, the conversation had ended and Hook was walking away, leaving Emma alone with Neal.

After a moment, Emma broke the silence. “I’m sorry about before. I was… overwhelmed, I guess.”

“I totally understand. I mean, finally declaring our love after all those years and then losing each other right after? It just seemed so wrong. As soon as I woke up on a beach in the Enchanted Forest and realized that I was somehow alive, I swore that I would find my way back to you and that, when I did, I would tell you every day that I loved you.”

“Neal, I never stopped loving you. But you should know…”

“Don’t worry about it. I know what happened with you and Hook and I know why it happened. And I know he understands that as well. I don’t blame you at all. Hell, I was engaged to another woman not too long ago…”

“Five days ago,” she mumbled before she could stop herself.

“Right, and it was a mistake. We all make mistakes.”

“I know. It’s just… We have some things to work through. Actually, a lot of things to work through.”

“Yeah. I know. But what do you say we give it a shot? For true love’s sake? And for Henry’s?”

His words hit her like a brick and she snapped out of the haze she’d been in since she had first laid eyes on Neal again. Right, of course, does she want Henry to grow up in a broken home like they had? Because his mother had feelings she wouldn’t even dare to call love for a pirate? What type of mother would that make her? What type of person did it make her that she was even considering this?

“Let’s do it.”

Neal grinned and Emma returned his smile. He was leaning in to kiss her when they were interrupted by Regina and Gold’s return.  


“Bae?” Gold had stopped in his tracks, stunned.

"I should go deal with that.” Neal gave her a quick kiss before walking over to his father and searching for a place they could speak privately.

“I want no part of this.” Regina moved quickly in the opposite direction. As she passed Emma, she said, “Hey, your plan worked. Mazel tov.”

Emma was breathing a sigh of relief to find herself finally alone for a minute when she heard someone else approaching. “Seriously? Can I just…” She trailed off when she saw that it was Hook.

“I apologize. Your father told me you were here and said I should check in on the plan.”

“Oh. Nothing new, really. But, I guess we should talk.”

“No need. Nothing to talk about. I am glad for you that you’re together with your love again and I am well aware that everything was just to get him back.”

“Hook…”

His voice grew harsh. “Don't think I’m stupid enough to believe it meant anything.”

He turned to go and she grabbed his arm instinctively. “Wait. Please don't do this.”

“Do what?”

“Do the thing where you detach and go cold." She didn’t want to sound like she was begging, but she was having trouble keeping the waver out of her voice. "There is so much we still have to do… I need you."

His eyes softened, but he gently removed her hand from his arm and took a step back. “I'll always be here for you, but you have someone else to turn to now, love. Someone to support you and make you happy and maybe even take you to Miami one day."

"It's Tallahassee.” Neal entered and came to stand next to Emma, placing a protective arm around her shoulders. "The place we wanted to go. I think you’re confused. Tallahassee is in the same state as Miami, but it’s different."

"Ah. Good to know.” Hook looked to Emma. “Not too far off then, are you?" he gave a polite smile and walked away.

Neal looked after him and shook his head before turning to face Emma. “That guy taught me everything I knew about geography. Funny he doesn’t get our world at all.”

Emma felt the sudden need to shut out all the thoughts that were running through her head. She took a step forward to kiss Neal and he eagerly responded. And it was nice. She could even see herself really enjoying it in a less stressful situation. Kissing Neal was something she could grow accustomed to, that she could learn to be happy with. It wasn't quite there, but it wasn't too far off.

\-------------

What passed for day on the island had turned to night and Hook sat gazing into the fire. He tried to ignore the pieces of conversation that drifted over from across the clearing, where Emma, Neal, Snow, and Charming sat going over the rescue plan for what must have been the fifth time straight.

“Are we sure we want to trust any of them with such an important role?” Neal was saying. “I mean, we're the good guys, right? They're at best grey, if not straight up villains at least some of the time.”

Neal glanced over to where Hook sat with Regina and Gold. All glared at him through the flames. Hook realized that this image was probably not helping their cause, but what did they expect if they treated them like this? Wasn’t he one of the good guys this very morning? Things changed quickly.

Regina rolled her eyes and muttered, “Arrogant prick.”

Gold started. “Hey, that's my son!”

“You disagree?"

Neal glanced over suspiciously again.

“At this moment, not particularly, no,” Gold sighed.

“I wonder what he'd think if he knew what his precious savior was doing in his absence. Or, should I say, whom?”

Hook shook his head. “That’s worse than one of my lines, love. And he knows.”

“How do you know that?”

“Had a conversation earlier. I wanted to make amends.”

“And how did that go?”

Hook shrugged.

Gold looked almost sympathetic when he said, “I tried to make my amends and didn't find my son in the most forgiving mood.”

“Well, we have a different history,” Hook snapped.

Gold rose to listen more closely to the others’ conversation as Regina laughed. “Seriously, Hook, are you trying to be Neal’s romantic rival or his father? Trying to be both is just too screwed up.”

“Neither. I'm trying to be a man of honor.”

...

He thought back to his conversation with Neal earlier in the day, while Emma was speaking with her parents. He hasn’t been planning to say anything, figuring that Emma would want to address it herself, but Neal had confronted him as soon as they were alone.

“Just what do you think you are doing with the mother of my son?”

“She was trying to get you back, mate.”

“Didn’t look like that was all it was to me.”

“Look, I have no desire to get in the way of a relationship between the two of you, if that’s what she wants.”

“Of course it is. Did she fail to mention that we declared our love for each other before I fell through the portal? I already lost her once and I have no intention of losing her again. Let us be happy together with our son. You don’t have a place in that picture.”

“Trust me, I understand. I know how important family and true love and all that are to you hero-types…”

“So you accept that she’s mine, not yours?”

“Well, technically, she doesn’t belong to anyone, right?”

“You know what I mean.”

Hook grew serious. “I don’t want to break up another home of yours, Bae.”

“Good. Then don’t.”

...

Hook was brought back to the present by Gold’s raised voice. “And what are we supposed to do if they don’t have our backs?”

Hook shook his head. “Them not trusting us to be trustworthy is going to destroy our chances before we even get near Pan.”  
Gold gave a harsh laugh. “In their defense, have you ever not switched sides at a key moment?”  
“Oh, but this is different.” Regina sneered. “This time he’s in love.”

“With whom?”

“Seriously?” Regina sighed.

“Emma? What in the name of God is wrong with you, man? Stealing my love wasn’t enough for you, now you’re trying to steal my son’s? Milah’s son’s?”

“Look, I can explain…” 

“I don’t care about your excuses. I should have just killed you with her.”

Hook sprang to his feet. “And I should have killed you the second I laid eyes on you here!”

Both men lunged, Hook grabbing Gold’s collar and Gold wrapping his hands around Hook’s neck. Snow shrieked and Regina chortled.

Emma stormed over. “What the hell, guys? Knock it off!”

Hook stopped and raised his hand and hook in the air. After a moment, Gold removed his hands as well and took a step back.

“What just happened? Hook?”

“I’ll excuse myself. I’m sure Rumplestilskin would be happy to explain.” He turned and walked off through the trees, paying no attention to where he was going save that it was away from that mess.

What had just happened? There he was thinking he had turned over a whole new leaf and at the first provocation he had turned violent again. He couldn’t even lie to himself that it was justified and anointed, coming from a place of love for his lost Milah. This was just rage.

After all, hadn’t he played by the rules? Hadn’t he done the right thing? Wasn’t he well on his way to becoming what they would consider a “good guy”? And what had it done for him?

Maybe it was too late for him to change. Maybe fate had already decided that his destiny was to be a villain, and as Regina had told him when they first embarked on this journey, villains don’t get happy endings. All the trying would do no good. The thought filled him with so much anger and bitterness that he could barely stand it.

He uncapped his flask and took a long drink, but even that wasn’t enough to dull the pain. He heard footsteps nearby and, despite everything, felt an irritating spark of hope that it was Emma coming after him. But it was Pan who stepped out of the bushes.

“You’re doing really well on your own, aren’t you, Captain?”

“Go away.”

Pan laughed. “Did you really think your little plan was working? That I’d really buy the piss poor acting by the princess and the awkward silence between the queen and Rumplestilskin?”

Hook looked away.

“Hmm, maybe you did. You’re pretty gullible, it seems, as I’m fairly certain you were buying the slightly more convincing acting from your Emma. It was so painfully obvious that all the fake smiles and forced affection were put-ons to get her one true love back, but you actually thought she was developing feelings for you, didn’t you? Really, I did you a favor by bringing Baelfire back. Poor, delusional pirate.”

Hooks voice was low. “Leave, boy. I’m warning you.”

“Oh, I’m so frightened.” Pan laughed again. “Let me make certain it is clear that you all unwittingly helped me get you exactly where you wanted me to think you’d be going. You see? He actually did tear you all apart. That pitiful excuse for a group is never going to win. As of this moment, in fact, they are all going to die, very soon and very painfully.”

“Thanks for the heads up. What, you’re going to make me the same offer I rejected last week?”

“Oh, no, it is far too late for that. Besides, it would be a bad deal for you anyway, now that we both know whom Emma really loves.”

“I chose to step aside.”

“And she let you, didn’t she? I think that’s telling enough. The old offer is off the table, regardless. What I propose now is far simpler – you help me sabotage their plans so I can enact my own plan with Henry, and I give you a new crew, as much gold as you can count, and safe passage off this island. Fair?”

Hook didn’t respond.

“Still trying to be a ‘man of honor,’ are we? Good for you. Let me sweeten the deal. You see, once I am able to use Henry’s belief in me to attain my full potential, my power will be near infinite. I will even have control over death itself. I believe there is a certain woman whom you may want returned from its icy grip?”

Hook suddenly found it hard to breathe. “You could bring back Milah?”

“I could. And I will. But only if you help me defeat those who turned their back on you. Do we have a deal?”

Hook finished the flask and then looked Pan dead in the eyes. “We do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up Next: Team Operation Henry prepares to enact the final rescue mission while Hook returns to his double-crossing ways.


	5. Trust

Chapter 5: Trust 

The next morning, if you could even call it morning in Neverland, was cloudy and unusually cold. Emma had changed into her black turtleneck and was scanning the jungle warily as her the others in the group finished adding layers and checking weapons. Neal came by her side and offered an encouraging smile, but she was distracted. There was still no sign of Hook.

She had expected him back hours ago. She knew he had needed time on his own to get Pan’s attention, but the fight with Gold had seemed alarmingly un-staged.

Neal kicked the ground in frustration. “Where the hell is he?”

“He’ll be here.” And she believed it. She thought that she should probably be more suspicious than she was, but the fear that was rising in her was not that he had betrayed them, but that Pan had seen through their plan and had taken his anger out on the pirate.

After another minute, there was a rustling in the trees nearby and she tensed immediately, but it was Hook emerging from the jungle.

“It’s about time!” Gold snapped. He exchanged a look with Regina and they raised their hands to create one more cone of silence.

After a moment, Regina lowered her hands. “Okay, we’re good for now. What the hell happened to you?”

“I did what we discussed. The conversation with Pan went longer than I anticipated. But he seemed to believe me.”

Neal raised a skeptical eyebrow. “So you weren’t actually ready to kill my father last night? It was just acting?”

“Let’s just say I had a lot to draw on for my performance. Anyway, it’s done. I told him that you all were planning to attack from the river on the north side of the camp’s current location. As expected, this led him to decide not to move the camp, but to get the Lost Boys prepared for an onslaught from the river while he waited further back with Henry.”

“So a small group of us should be good to attack from the hills on the south?” Charming asked.

“Aye. We should be.”

“Good.”

Neal shook his head in disbelief and glanced around the rest of the group. “We’re supposed to just take his word for it? What’s to stop him from turning on us because he thinks Pan has a better chance of winning?”

“He does,” Hook stated matter-of-factly. “But I could never again be on that demon’s side.” He turned to Emma. “It’s your belief that matters here. Do you trust me?”

Emma looked into his eyes and found her answer. “Yes.”

“Well then,” said Regina. “Let’s get going. Rumplestilskin and I will lead a big, bright, loud full-frontal assault from the river. Snow, Charming, and Hook will go in deeper and pick off the Lost Boys who are closer to Pan. And Neal, you’ll bring your bow and cover Emma as she sneaks in from the hills and gets Pan. Then run in and grab Henry as soon as there’s an opening. Everyone good?”

“Wait.” Neal looked concerned. “Why is she going after Pan alone? Emma, what makes you think you can take him?”

“I’m the only one who has the element of surprise.”

"What are you talking about? Pan knows everything.”

“There’s one thing he doesn’t know: I have magic. As soon as he’s distracted, I’ll make my way towards him and, when I’m close enough, I’ll grab him and hit him with my light.”

“Oh, your light. Okay. And what will that do?”

“I’m…. not entirely sure, but according to Gold, my magic is born of true love. And love is the one thing Pan cannot understand and thus should be powerless against.”

“Should be? Do you hear yourself?” Neal looked around at the rest of the group, enraged. “Nobody told me this part of the plan before. Seriously, none of you have a problem with what could very well be a suicide mission?”

“Bae,” Gold said gently. “I believe this is the best chance we have to get your son back.”

“I concur with your father,” Regina sighed. “And you have no idea how rare that is.”

“David? Mary Margaret? You’re her parents! You can’t be ok with this.”

“I wouldn’t say we’re okay with it…” Charming began.

Snow finished, “But we would do the same for our daughter. We believe in her.”

“You.” Neal walked over to Hook. “You have to see how foolish this is. You can’t possibly support this ridiculous plan!”

Hook looked at the ground. “I do.”

Neal fumed. “Great. Fine. Let’s get going, then.”

He grabbed his bow and quiver and stormed off in the direction of the river. After a moment, Gold and Regina, then Charming and Snow, followed. Hook turned to go, but Emma touched his arm and he turned to face her.

"Do you agree with him?” she was trying her best not to look as vulnerable as she felt in that moment, but Neal’s lack of faith had shaken her.

“Come on, you heard what everyone else said. He’s just concerned for you.”

“That’s not what I asked. Look, you said you’d be there if I needed you. Right now, I need you to be completely honest with me. Do you think this is a suicide mission?”

He looked into her eyes and shook his head. “Emma, I have never seen you fail when you put your mind to something. I would do everything in my power to keep you safe, but if this is what you need to do to save your son, then you have my full confidence and support.”

“I appreciate it. I’m just so afraid. I love him more than anything and I don’t know what I’d do if I lost him.”

“You’re not going to have to find out. That love is the most important you can have on this island. That, and faith in yourself. And there is absolutely no good reason for you to lack that.”

“Thank you. I… I needed that.”

“It’s the truth.” He bowed his head and they began to follow the group.

After a moment, she couldn’t help herself from asking something. “What did Pan offer you, by the way? To betray us?”

“Milah.”

She stopped and turned to him, shocked. “Oh, my God. Wow. You know, I don’t think I could have even blamed you if you took him up on that.”

“It doesn’t matter. Pan overestimates his own power. The best he could do would be to create a shadow, a ghost of her. And I spent 300 years loving a ghost. I think the time for that is past.”

“It does matter. Hook, I don’t even know how to thank you for giving that up.”

“You can just say thank you. And, my name is Killian.”

“Thank you, Killian.”

“You are most welcome, Emma. Now, let’s go rescue your boy.” 

\----------

The plan was working better than Emma could have believed. The Lost Boys were at the river fighting Regina and Gold’s magic while Snow, Charming, and Hook worked their way through them. Pan stood with Henry and both seemed to be transfixed by the battle below them.

Pan had some boys guarding the hills, but Emma fought her way through them and making a beeline for Pan. She remembered to swing with just her wrist and it allowed her to move more gracefully and with less effort. She’d need to thank Hook… Killian again when all this was over.

Soon, she was crouching just a few feet away from Pan. As expected, he was focused on Gold and Regina’s smoke and flames and had not noticed her approach. She sheathed her sword and took a deep breath to steady herself. She was ready.

\---------

Neal watched Emma approach Pan from where he was hidden behind the boy. He coated the tip of an arrow with dreamshade before notching it, prepared to interfere if need be.

He watched her prepare to run at Pan and felt a sudden tightness in his chest when he saw that her hands produced no flames like Regina’s or his father’s. There was nothing but tiny golden sparks shooting from them and they barely looked strong enough to light a candle, let alone defeat the all-powerful ruler of this island. Neal couldn’t live with himself if he watched Emma die and did nothing. As she sprang, he aimed at Pan’s back and released the arrow.

\---------

Emma felt a sudden calm come over her as she felt warmth at the tips of her fingers. She was ready. Some deep knowing told her that all she had to do was touch Pan and he would be frozen by a power of which he had no comprehension.

She leaped up and ran at him and he didn’t even see her coming. She felt success just a few inches away when he turned faster than was humanly possible to catch an arrow that had been fired at his back. He saw Emma and, in that split second, plunged the arrow deep into her shoulder.

\-------------

As he fought off what must have been his seventh Lost Boy, Hook found himself wondering why he was even here in the first place. Of course he hadn’t believed Pan when he claimed he could bring Milah back, but he did believe that Pan was more than capable of carrying out his promise of quick and painful deaths for all who went against him. He actually found it odd that they were still even in the fight and had a sinking feeling that Pan had another trick up his sleeve.

Hook didn’t have much time to contemplate the thought as another boy came rushing to replace the one he had just knocked out. He was quickly learning that trying to defeat opponents without killing them was far more difficult than he would have anticipated, but he couldn’t bring himself to run a young boy through with a sword, no matter how bad they were or how many opportunities they gave him. Why was he here, again?

If he was totally honest with himself, he would admit that there were a few moments when the thought of really going over to Pan’s side had crossed his mind. After all, Hook had never been one to side with a losing team. Especially not if that team saw him as nothing more than an irredeemable villain.

But then Emma had said that she needed him and looked at him with complete trust and called him by his real name. And right then, he realized that he was completely in love and would follow her to the ends of the earth if she asked. Even if she’d never be his, he would rather die than see that light of trust in her eyes extinguished. And now it seemed he may well be about to do just that.

The din of clashing swords was suddenly pierced by a boy screaming, “Mom! No!”

Hook whirled around towards the sound, leaving his back exposed, but the boy he had been fighting with was frozen in shock just as he was. He saw Henry sink to the ground next to an inert form. He couldn’t quite see what was happening but somehow he knew and it felt like his heart was being torn out again.

He shouted with rage and the boys must have seen the look on his face because none tried to block his way as he ran towards her. He was almost there when he seemed to hit a glass wall. Pan had created a circle around himself, Henry, and Emma with some sort of invisible barrier. Hook saw Neal on the other side of the circle, watching with the same look of pain and anger. The battle continued by the river, its participants unaware of what was happening on the hill.

Pan was leaning over Henry’s shoulder and speaking softly. “Come on, Henry. Save her.”

“What? You poisoned her!”

“But you have the heart of the truest believer. Think of this as a test of your potential. Remember the stick that became a sword? Just do that. Believe your mother is fine and she will be. Or, should be, if you are who I think you are.”

Henry closed his eyes and concentrated for a tense few minutes, but when he opened them, there was no difference. “I can’t. I can’t do it.”

“Yes you can, Henry!” called Neal. “I believe in you.”

Pan faked a yawn. “Tick tock, Henry.”

“I’m sorry…” 

“Don’t let him pressure you,” urged Hook. “Take a deep breath, calm down, it has to come naturally.”

“Now you’re pressuring him!” Neal yelled. 

“I’m not, I’m saying he shouldn’t feel that way! I believe in him.”

“I believe in him too, that’s just how it works.” Hook’s voice softened. “It’s okay, Henry.”

Henry burst into tears again. “It’s not okay! I can’t do it.”

“You can’t do it?” Pan began to pace in frustration. “You’ve really tried your best?”

“I’ve tried as hard as I can. I don’t know what else to do.”

“You can’t do it,” Pan repeated, and then exploded in rage. “Goddamn it, I was so close!” He kicked Henry over and stomped his feet as Hook and Neal both pounded on the barrier.

“Oh, this isn’t fun anymore.” Sulking, Pan clapped his hands and a veritable army of shadows flew out of the jungle. Two each grabbed Regina and Gold and slammed them to the ground, pinning them there. Others dragged Snow and Charming to the hill and threw their weapons behind them. Then everything went still and there was silence except for Henry’s sobs.

Pan took the time to glare at each of them before speaking. “I have to say, I am disappointed in all of you. I thought we were going to at least have some fun before I brutally defeated you. Hook? Baelfire? I was expecting at least one of you to betray me, but both? It’s - what is it you say, Hook? – ah, bad form.

“And Henry. Oh, Henry. It is you who has disappointed me the most. I thought I had found in you the heart of the truest believer – the one who held infinite power here. But you don’t even have enough power to save your own mother’s life. What good are you to me? “

Henry cried louder and Pan rolled his eyes in disgust.

“So. What do we do now? I could kill all of you instantly. But I’m tired and I quite like this campsite, so I’d rather it not end up littered with corpses. And I already have permanent guests in their royal highnesses here – I’m sure we’ll get along great once you learn to play nice with me, and it’ll be useful to have a woman here to cook and clean and sew, from time to time.”

Charming had to hold Snow back from trying to run at the boy.

“As for the rest of you… Really, I just want you gone. So, before I change my mind, why don’t you all get on the ship with your useless boy and get off my island.”

He let the barrier down with a flick of his wrist and Neal rushed to grab Henry and hold him tightly. “What about Emma?”

“Well, I guess there might be one body littering my floor. You guys may want to get her to the healing spring sooner rather than later.”

“But then she can never leave.” Snow clung to Charming, tears filling her eyes.

Henry whimpered. “I’ll never see my mom again?”

“Well, you have your dad? Close enough, right?” Pan shrugged.

Henry continued to look devastated.

“No? Ouch, Bae. Well, contrary to rumor, I’m not a cruel boy. Yes, if the island heals Emma, she is bound to it. However, I have enough control here that I can allow one of you to take her place. And that person will be someone of my choosing.”

Snow stepped forward. “You have me! I’m staying with my husband.”

"Right, we’ve covered that, and I’ve decided you don’t count. What I really want is to have one of my old playmates back. Now who shall it be? Baelfire? Hook? Do I have a volunteer, men? Wait, don’t answer that. Who am I to make this choice? It really should be up to Emma, shouldn’t it?”

Pan walked over to her unconscious but still breathing body and knelt next to her, feeling her neck for a pulse. “That is, if she is still capable of making a choice. The possibility seems to be fading by the second.” He shook her and waved his hand in front of her face. “Emma dear. Time to wake up. Come on, I know you’re dying and all, but you have a very important decision to make.”

Emma’s eyes flickered open and she looked up at him in confusion.

“There we go. Now who is it that you want to save from being trapped in Neverland forever - Hook or Baelfire?”

\-------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up Next: The choice and the ending.


	6. A Man of Honor

“Hook or Baelfire?”

Hook watched as Emma tried to focus, clearly unaware of her surroundings. 

Henry struggled to go to her, but Neal held him back and away from Pan. “It’ll be okay, buddy,” he whispered. 

“I’m getting bored, here. Make a choice!”

“Come on, we all know it’s barely a contest,” declared Hook, taking a step toward Pan. 

Neal opened his mouth to protest but Hook cut him off.

“Look. There’s her one true love who is also the father of her child. And then there’s me. The answer seems fairly obvious.”

“Are you sure you know what you’re saying, Hook?”

“Looks like we have a lot of fun in store ahead, Pan.” He nodded at Neal, who gave him a grateful smile. 

“It’ll be tons of fun for me, at least. Just wait til you see what I have in store for you.” Pan opened his hands and a cup of water appeared in each of them. He held the first out to Hook. “You drink, then she does.”

“I’m at least entitled to a farewell, am I not?”

“Fine. But make it quick.”

Hook knelt by Emma’s side. 

“Hey,” she said weakly. “What happened to letting me make my own choices?”

“You already made this one, love. I’m just doing you the favor of not making you say it. Go home with your family and be happy. All that matters to me is that you leave knowing that, because of you, I am a man of honor.”

She opened her mouth but another wave of pain took her out of consciousness. 

He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and began to rise, but her eyelids fluttered and she grabbed his hand and held it tight. “Please don’t leave me.”

“Come on, love. You barely know what you’re saying.”

“Maybe not, but I know I need you with me. Please, Killian.”

He froze.

\------------  
Neal watched from close by, his heart sinking. Pan sidled over to him, sending Henry scurrying away to Regina. 

“Ooh, that’s a twist.” The boy smirked. “Sorry, Bae, looks like it’s you and me together forever after all. Unless…” He disappeared the cups and pulled a blade from seemingly out of nowhere and held it so only Neal could see. 

Neal’s eyes widened as he recognized his father’s dagger.

“This is the only weapon that can kill someone for good here. Not even the magical waters can heal a cut from the blade. You’d be doing your family a great service if you stuck it in that pirate over there.”

“What?” 

“Look at him over there, taking advantage of your half-unconscious love. You want that vagabond to be sleeping in your bed? Raising your son?”

Neal hesitated, then a look of determination came over his face. “You’re right. My family needs to come first. Give it to me.”

Peter handed it over with a grin. 

Gripping the dagger firmly, Neal glared at Hook and took a step towards him. He then whirled around and plunged the blade into Peter Pan’s heart. 

Pan let out an unearthly scream as he started shaking, aging years by the second. It was finally a decrepit old man who gaped at Neal before going still. Before the body hit the ground, the island began to quake and everything went black. 

\------------------------

Emma awoke soaking wet and lying next to a sunlit spring surrounded by bushes and stone walls. Her head was resting on someone’s lap and she felt hands stroking her hair. She blinked a few times to clear her vision and found herself staring up into bright blue eyes. 

She began to smile but then her memories came flooding back. She sat up as quickly as her body would allow and looked around frantically. “Henry, my parents…?”

He took her hands in his. “Are okay. We are all fine and free to go.”

Emma sighed in relief. “How?”

“Once Pan was dead, whatever hold he had on Henry was broken. Everything was dark, but then he believed there was sunlight and there was. It was incredible. When I left to get you here as quickly as possible, Neal was talking Henry through changing the rules of the island so people could come and go as they pleased. I have every confidence he will be able to make it so. You have a very special boy down there.” 

“I know. Thank you for getting me here, by the way.” Her gaze drifted down to where their hands were intertwined. She started. “Hook? What happened to…?”

“I suppose I must have swallowed some of the water when I jumped into the spring with you. Everything was chaos and all I was thinking about was getting there in time. Once I was sure you were starting to heal, I pulled you to shore and the earth started shaking even harder. I must have blacked out. Next thing I knew, I was waking up here next to you and…” He wiggled the fingers on both his hands. “Here we are. I have to say, it’s going to take some getting used to.”

“Guess we’re all going to have to call you something else now.”

“I am rather fond of my given name.”

“Killian.” She liked the feel of the word on her tongue. “Thank you, Killian.” 

She smiled up at him and he gently stroked her cheek with his left hand. He looked like he was having some kind of religious experience. Emma had never had anyone look at her like that and it filled her with a strange, tingling thrill. Her eyes moved to his lips and she leaned in towards him, but he pulled away. 

Killian rose abruptly, reaching out a hand to help her to her feet before beginning to walk back towards the beach. “We should get back to the rest of the group. I’m sure they are worried sick.” 

“But…”

“Neal was helping Henry. That’s the only reason he’s not the one here with you right now. He saved the day, you know. He and Henry. The man moved faster than I’ve ever seen anyone move and killed the little demon. I have to give credit where credit is due. He’ll be amazing for you.”

“He is amazing. And I think he is a good and loving man at heart.” She paused and turned to face Killian, causing him to stop as well. “But, you know what? At each moment that I needed support, he didn’t support me. I needed trust and at the moment of truth, he didn’t trust me. When I needed someone to believe in me, he didn’t believe. You did.” 

She looked down at the ground, surprised and a bit unnerved by what she was hearing herself say. “You always have. And I would say you don’t know how much that means to me, but I know you do, because you have had as little support and trust and belief in your life as I’ve had in mine. And we both deserve those things.”

Emma glanced back up at him. He looked surprised and touched and completely at a loss for words. She understood the feeling – she had never been one for any sort of speechifying about feelings and she was self-conscious. 

She knew what the logical next step was. She knew that she had made a choice even before Pan had demanded one, when she lying dazed and in pain on the ground and all she could think was that she needed him with her. She even knew just what that might mean about her feelings for this man. All of this terrified her.   
He finally spoke. “Of course I believe in you, Emma. You are the most remarkable woman I’ve ever met. I’m glad for any assistance I was able to provide in getting your family back. We should probably return to them now.” 

He was being a gentleman and giving her an out. The thoughtfulness moved her and caused her anxiety to well up even more. “You’re right. We should get back.” She turned away and then paused once more. “But this isn’t the end of this conversation.” It was a promise to both of them.

 

As soon as they reached the shore, Snow, who was standing guard, rushed towards Emma. Killian moved discreetly away to give them some space. 

Snow enveloped Emma in a hug. “You okay, sweetie?”

“I am, mom. Finally.”

“We are, too. Henry saved us all. And Neal. Your boys.”

Emma took a deep breath. “They’re heroes.”

“Neal feels obligated to the boys here in Neverland, but I’m sure you could convince to him home with you and Henry. Be a family again.”

Snow pulled back and must have seen the apprehension in Emma’s eyes. 

“If you want that,” she amended. She hugged Emma closer and whispered in her ear, “Always do what your heart tells you, Emma. Henry has three parents who love him very much and nothing you do is going to change that. You can make any choice you wish whenever you are ready. ” 

“But you’ve already made one, haven’t you, Emma?” Charming grinned. 

“David! We were having a private conversation.”

“It’s okay, guys. I want to go find Henry.”

“We just put him in bed on the ship. He’s exhausted, with good reason. There’s another conversation you need to have before we go, though, isn’t there?”

Emma sighed. Since when did her father know her so well? But he was right, she couldn’t avoid it any longer. “I should probably talk to Neal.”

She found him near the line that separated the jungle and the trees, staring out into the ocean. He turned and smiled when she approached and she smiled back, but he made no move towards her. 

“Hi, Neal.”

“Hi, Emma. You look good. I’m glad you’re alright.”

“Likewise. I hear you’re quite the hero.”

“I’m just glad I was able to save my family.” He shrugged and looked over at the devastated group of Lost Boys peering out from the trees. “I’m not so much of a hero to them.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. Everyone has to grow up eventually.”

“Right, but they’ve been here hundreds of years. Not one of them has parents, or even siblings, who are still alive. What type of lives can they possibly make for themselves on their own? They need someone here for them, to guide them until they are ready to find a place for themselves in your world or in the Enchanted Forrest.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m gonna be that person for them.”

“But…”

“Tink’s staying too, for now, so it’s not like I’ll go crazy being the only adult here. And don’t think for a second I’m sacrificing my relationship with Henry - I intend to break with family tradition and be there for my son. Thanks to Henry, this island is just a magical boat ride away. And I’m thinking there’s going to be someone in Henry’s life who could help out with providing that.”

“About that… I’m sorry. We said we’d give it a try and now it’s been barely two days and here we are saying goodbye.”

“It was enough, Emma. It’s no good for us or for Henry to push off facing the truth. You and me… there’s always gonna be love here. But that doesn’t mean it’s meant to be. No matter how much either of us might hope so.”

Emma felt herself tearing up. “I don’t even know what to say. I mean, I guess, thank you for understanding. For everything, really. And please stay in our lives.”  
“You couldn’t keep me away, honey.”

Emma pulled Neal into a hug and they just stood there together for a moment, fighting off tears. He pulled away first and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead before walking over to the boys. 

Emma watched them and thought that, with all their history, she and Neal would probably never fully have closure, but this was as close as they were going to get. 

\----------  
Killian stood on the deck of the Jolly Roger, trying to appear as if he was not watching Emma’s conversation with Neal and desperately trying to catch what they were saying. He was so intent on this that he didn’t notice when Regina came up next to him until she spoke. 

“Will you calm down already? They are obviously saying goodbye.” She sighed and looked at Killian with affection and what may have been a little jealousy. “Guess there are second chances for some of us after all.”

“Come on, love, there are second chances for all of us.”

“I’m not so sure about that. You’re one of the good guys now. And I’m still the Evil Queen, no matter what I do.”

“I’m still Captain Hook, even though I have my hand back. It’s part of me. Your evil side’s part of you, too. But I think they’re starting to see the other parts.”

“Ugh, is their treacliness starting to rub off on you, too? Or was that an innuendo? I’m never sure with you.”

“Neither. I’m fairly certain Henry sees you as a ‘good guy,’ and doesn’t his opinion matter most to you? And you never know - your man with the lion tattoo might be right around the corner.”

Regina said nothing, but Killian caught her almost smiling. 

“I’ll take your silence to mean that I made you feel better, but you’d never admit it.” 

“And I’ll take the fact that you’re still here talking to me when Emma is standing by herself on the dock to mean that you’re afraid of actually getting what you want.”

“Maybe I am. But I’m not going to let it stop me. There’s just someone I need to say goodbye to first.” 

He gave her a little bow and grabbed a rope and swung down the side of the ship, enjoying the use of both hands again, before walking over to Neal. 

“What’s this about you staying, mate?”  
“The kids here need me. I’m not going to let them stay lost boys.”

Killian patted him on the shoulder and smiled fondly. “Your mother would be so proud of you, Baelfire.”

“Wow, this is never going to not be weird, is it? But, thank you. And Emma… Take care of her.”

“I’ll do what I can, but I don’t think she needs taking care of. That’s why I love her.”

“Well, come on, man. It’s not me you should be saying that to. Get going!”

Killian grinned and headed back to his ship.

\-----------------  
Snow and Charming watched the island fade away into the mist as Killian set a course for Storybrooke. Snow kept glancing over at the Captain, thoughtful. “So that’s really who she’s choosing? Who could have guessed?” 

“You did basically give your blessing.” Charming put an arm around her. “I’m proud of you, Snow.”

“It’s not at all what I expected. I just so desperately want her to have a happy ending.”

“Me too. And, honestly, I don’t know what her ending is going to be. But, for right now, isn’t it enough to just see her happy?”

Snow watched Emma make her way up to the top deck and saw the smiles that lit up both her and Killian’s faces when their eyes met. “You know what? It’s more than enough.”

\-----------------  
Emma smiled as she approached Killian at the ship’s helm. She loved how relaxed and confident he looked on his ship. 

He turned and met her smile. “I believe you said there was a conversation we had to finish, love?”

“Aye, Captain. I did.”

“Couldn’t even wait til we got home?”

“Is Storybrooke going to be your home now?” 

“It could be, if I met the right person. And I do believe I have.”

The look he gave her was so full of passion and longing that she nearly abandoned everything she had prepared to say right then and there. But she forced herself to take a deep breath and glance away. She was finally willing to admit to herself that she wanted to be with him, to have a real relationship for the first time in far too long, and she was scared of not getting it right. 

“Look, Killian. So much happened in such a short period of time – I think we could all use some time to decompress.”

His face fell. “Is this your way of trying to politely warn me off?”

“No, actually. It’s the opposite. This is my way of saying that I think we both know there’s something here, but should probably take things slow.”

He still looked skeptical and she realized she’s need to say more than she had been hoping to. 

“You know expressing emotions doesn’t come naturally to me. I’m not the type of person who is quick to say I love you or anything sentimental like that… But, I think with us, that’s something I could maybe see myself getting to saying. Does that make any sense?”

Emma felt like an idiot but Killian’s grin was back and that always seemed to make things better.

“It does.” He leaned in until she could feel his breath of her lips and she felt like she could barely hear him over the pounding of her heart. “But so you know, Emma, I could say something sentimental like that whenever you want me to.”

She smiled and blushed despite herself. “Okay. Just give me some time and I promise I’ll let you know when I’m ready.”

He took a step back and bowed. “As you wish.”

A sudden thrill of happiness came over her and it suddenly seemed quite silly to deprive herself of something so amazing when it was right in front of her. 

As soon as Killian rose from his bow, Emma grabbed him and kissed him. 

\--------------------

The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> You can now find my stories, music, and other musings on my tumblr as well - http://sadiecat12.tumblr.com/


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